Unique piece of Pink Floyd memorabilia to go on show at Sussex pub

The painted floorboards graced the cover of Syd’s debut 1970 album, The Madcap Laughs, in what is now an iconic image of the era.

The new owners of the boards are a consortium of Syd fans who pooled their own resources to rescue this unique piece of rock memorabilia. Rather than being whisked overseas or hidden in a private collection, the colourful planks are set to be loaned to and displayed at The Piper, a south coast grass roots music venue in St Leonards, Hastings, named after the 1967 debut album by Pink Floyd, ‘The Piper at the Gates of Dawn’.

And its a fitting place for the boards as Syd played his last ever gig with Pink Floyd on Hastings Pier in January 1968. Syd passed away in July 2006 aged 60.

The Piper said: “We’re honoured and grateful to be the custodians of these legendary rock n roll artefacts. Syd and his Pink Floyd are very much part of the reason the venue exists so to be loaned these boards for fans of Syd and fans of great music, is just unbelievable. The boards will be respectfully put on display for all to appreciate their iconic look. We hope Syd would have been happy with what we plan to do.

“We have been working with music writer, archivist and historian Paul Drummond to reconfigure them as best as we can into their original layout. A few bits appear to be missing, presumably damaged, but with the boards we do have, one idea is to lay some of them on top of our current stage, so artists will be able to perform on them.

"We are currently exploring how feasible this is as we still want to ensure they are protected in some way. Failing that, we will keep them together and place them somewhere else within the venue. We won’t be doing anything until we have assessed what is best for them.”

Syd painted the floorboards prior to a 1969 photoshoot with legendary photographer Mick Rock and Storm Thorgerson, head of Hipgnosis, the design company that created many of Pink Floyd's album sleeves. It was the image taken at Syd's London flat by Storm that was used on the album's iconic cover.

Commenting on the condition of the floorboards, music historian and archivist Paul Drummond, said: “You can say the current condition of the floor is “saved”. Unfortunately, the boards were lifted with little care or attention. Some were sawn in half after removal to fit in the back of a van so there was some loss and damage but they remain a remarkable time capsule, nevertheless; fragile and dry, largely unfaded, they tell an intriguing story.

“The dualistic act of painting the floorboards in semi-psychotic shades of mauve and orange effectively prepared a stage for Syd to shine upon once again, not as the popstar of yesteryear but as ‘Barrett,’ crouching in the shadows of the dark psyche of the human condition. This is what makes these floorboards that define that space so intriguing and as Storm Thorgerson once told me, "Part of Syd’s character was in the floor”.

Syd super fan and psychedelic expert Julian Cope also voiced his relief at the boards being saved: “Amazing! A brilliant piece of cultural retrieval”

The new owners also hope that some of Syd’s musical genius soaked into the grain of the boards, and that perhaps his spirit might inspire a new generation of talent in the musical town.

Once the boards are properly protected and displayed, there are plans for a series of shows with well-known musicians to mark their unveiling.

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